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A New Year's Day Buffet

"There comes a time in a woman's life when the only thing
that helps is a glass of champagne."
~ Bette Davis

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La Belle Cuisine

A New Year’s Day Buffet
The Best of Gourmet, Vol. 2
from the Editors of Gourmet, 1987,
Condé Nast Books, Random House

Menu:
Crostini
(Assorted Italian Canapés)
Three-Mushroom Tart
Oyster and Clams with Mignonette Sauce
Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs ‘82
Stuffed Breast of Veal
Venegazzù dei Conti Loredan ‘79
Braised Fennel with Olives
Gratin of Celery Root and Potato
Figs Poached in Red Wine with
Oranges and Mascarpone Cream

Crostini
(Assorted Italian Canapés)

A loaf of French [or Italian] bread,
at least 16 inches long
Olive oil for brushing
1 red bell pepper, roasted * and chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
A pinch of cayenne
A 1/2-pound piece fresh mozzarella,
halved lengthwise and sliced
crosswise into 36 equal pieces
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto,
cut into 18 equal pieces
8 anchovy fillets
Chopped fresh parsley leaves [preferably
flat-leaf Italian parsley]
1 tablespoon drained capers

* To roast bell pepper: Using a long-handled fork, char the pepper over an
open flame, turning it, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skin is blackened. (Or
broil the pepper on the rack of a broiler pan about 2 inches from the heat,
turning it every 5 minutes, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the skin is blistered
and charred.) Transfer the pepper to a bowl and let it steam, covered, until
it is cool enough to handle. Keeping the pepper whole, peel it starting at
the blossom end, cut off the top, and discard the seeds and ribs.

Halve the bread crosswise, cut one half crosswise into eighteen 1/4-inch-
thick slices, and cut the remaining half diagonally into eighteen 1/4-inch-
thick slices. Brush one side of each bread slice with oil, bake the slices
on baking sheets in a preheated 400-degree F. oven for 10 minutes, or
until they are golden, and rub the diagonally cut slices on both sides
with the garlic while they are still warm.
In a small bowl combine the bell pepper, the rosemary, the vinegar, the cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste and toss the mixture well. Top each round toast with a slice of the mozzarella, brush the mozzarella with oil,
and top each slice with 1/2 teaspoon of the bell pepper mixture. Arrange
one piece of the prosciutto lengthwise on each diagonal toast, covering
half the toast, and arrange 1 slice of the remaining mozzarella lengthwise
on the other half of each diagonal toast. Arrange an anchovy fillet length-
wise down the middle of 8 of the diagonal toasts and brush the diagonal
toasts with oil. The crostini may be prepared up to this point and kept
covered with plastic wrap for up to 4 hours. Bake the crostini in batches
on baking sheets in a preheated 400-degree F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes,
or until the mozzarella is just melted. Sprinkle the crostini with the pars-
ley and top each remaining diagonal crostini with 6 or 7 of the capers.
Makes 36 hors d’oeuvres.

Three-Mushroom Tart

Pâte brisée
Raw rice for weighting the shell
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup Sercial Madeira
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh cultivated mushrooms, chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
4 ounces cream cheese
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 cup milk
1/2 package enoki-dake mushrooms (available
at some supermarkets and specialty
produce markets), the bottom 1/2 inch
cut off and discarded, for garnish
Fresh lemon juice for brushing the mushrooms
Chives or scallion greens cut into long
julienne strips for garnish

Roll the dough into a round 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface and fit it
into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Prick the bottom of
the shell lightly and chill the shell for 1 hour.
Line the shell with wax paper, fill the paper with the rice, and bake the
shell in the lower third of a pre-heated 400-degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Remove the rice and paper carefully and bake the shell for 5 minutes
more, or until it is pale golden.
In a small saucepan combine the porcini, the Madeira, and 1/2 cup cold
water and heat the mixture over moderate heat until it is hot. Remove the
pan from the heat and let the mixture stand, covered, for at least 1 hour,
or until the porcini are softened. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid,
and strain the reserved liquid through a fine sieve, lined with a double
thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth, into a bowl. Rinse the
porcini to remove any grit and chop them fine.
In a large skillet cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the fresh cultivated mushrooms, and cook
the mixture, stirring, until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add the porcini, the thyme, and the reserved liquid, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the liquid is evaporated. Add the cream cheese and salt and pepper to taste, cook the mixture, stirring, until the cream cheese is melted, and let it cool. Stir in the eggs and the milk and pour the mixture into the
tart shell. Arrange half the enoki-dake decoratively along the edge of the
tart, brush them with the lemon juice, and bake the tart in a preheated
350-degree F. oven for 20 minutes. Arrange the remaining enoki-dake
decoratively on top of the baked enoki-dake, brush them with the lemon
juice, and bake the tart for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until a tester comes
out clean. Let the tart cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes and then
remove the rim carefully. Transfer the tart to a platter and garnish it with
the chives. Serves 12 as an hors d’oeuvre.

Oysters and Clams with
Mignonnette Sauce

For the sauce
3 tablespoons minced shallot
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

24 to 36 oysters, shucked, on the half shell
24 to 36 clams, shucked, on the half shell
Fresh seaweed (available at most fish markets)
for garnish [optional!]
4 lemons, cut into wedges

Make the sauce: In a bowl stir together the shallot, the vinegar, the salt,
the sugar, the pepper, and the oil and chill the sauce, covered, until serving
time. The sauce may be made up to this point 1 day in advance and kept
covered and chilled. Just before serving stir in the parsley.
Serve the oysters and the clams on a bed of the seaweed on a platter with
the sauce and the lemon wedges. Serves 12.

New Year's Day Buffet. page 2
 

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